Arizona track loses its use permit
Arizona Motorsports Park has had its special use permit revoked by officials in a dispute over planning conditions.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors revoked the permit last week after complaints about noise from local residents and claims that the circuit hadn't fully complied with the terms of the permit.
The decision, effective immediately according to planning department staff, means the track cannot operate until it obtains another special use permit.
According to a report in the West Valley View newspaper, supervisor Max Wilson told the hearing on January 21 that the circuit had been given plenty of opportunity to comply.
My client has a $6.5 million investment in that property, and he’s not just going to walk away from it.
Scott Rose
"The county has taken a lot of time with this thing and this is a big county, with a small staff," he said. "You’ve had ample opportunity to be in compliance with what the county gave you."
The decision was greeted with anger by lawyers representing Arizona Motorsports Park. Attorney Scott Rose said: "We had tried really, really, really hard to reach a compromise that worked out with everybody, but the board was not interested in a compromise.
"They took a very draconian action, and they put my client in a position of having to look at all their legal remedies. My client has a $6.5 million investment in that property, and he’s not just going to walk away from it."
The circuit had been planning an application for a major amendment to its now non-existent special use permit. It will have to amend its paperwork to be an application for a new special use permit, starting the process from the beginning once again.
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